LGM-30 Minuteman vs Surya missile: Specs Compared

ABallistic missiles

LGM-30 Minuteman

Intercontinental ballistic missile

BBallistic missiles

Surya missile

Intercontinental ballistic missile

First system

Second system

Measured figures

Head to head

10 of 24 rows sourced on both sides

18.3mMinuteman III

—

Length

All recorded figures & sources

17.04 m

I/B

Single source

16.36 m

Minuteman I/A Minuteman

Single source

17.55 m

Minuteman II

Single source

18.3 m

Minuteman III

Single source

Minuteman I/A: 53 ft 8 in (16.36 m) Minuteman I/B: 55 ft 11 in (17.04 m) Minuteman II: 57 ft 7 in (17.55 m) Minuteman III: 59.9 ft (18.3 m)^[source]

1.68m1st stage

—

Diameter

All recorded figures & sources

1.68 m

1st stage

Single source

5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) (1st stage)^[source]

36tMinuteman III

≈ 70t~

MassScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

33,000 kg

Mass

Single source

29,000 kg

Minuteman I: About Minuteman II: About

Single source

36,030 kg

Minuteman III

Single source

Minuteman I: About 65,000 lb (29,000 kg) Minuteman II: About 73,000 lb (33,000 kg) Minuteman III: 79,432 lb (36,030 kg)^[source]

≈ 70,000 kg

Single source

~70,000 kg^[source]

28,200km/hMaximum; 7.83 km/s ) (terminal phase

33,100km/hMaximum; Mach 27 (

SpeedScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

28,200 km/h

Maximum; 7.83 km/s ) (terminal phase

Single source

28,163.52 km/h

Maximum; Mach 23 (

Single source

Mach 23 (17,500 mph ; 28,200 km/h ; 7.83 km/s ) (terminal phase)^[source]

33,100 km/h

Maximum; Mach 27 (

Single source

Mach 27 (33,100 km/h)^[source]

14,000kmOperational; Minuteman III

≈ 12,000–18,000kmOperational; ~

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

10,200 km

Operational; Minuteman I

Single source

11,700 km

Operational; Minuteman II

Single source

14,000 km

Operational; Minuteman III

Single source

Minuteman I: 5,500 nmi (6,300 mi; 10,200 km) Minuteman II: 6,300 nmi (7,200 mi; 11,700 km) Minuteman III: 7,600 nmi (8,700 mi; 14,000 km)^[source]

≈ 12,000–18,000 km

Operational; ~

Single source

~12,000-18,000 km^[source]

792kN

—

Thrust

All recorded figures & sources

267.698425 kN

Engine · source measurement 3

Single source

151.995733 kN

Engine · source measurement 5

Single source

152 kN

) First stage 202,600 lb (91,900 kg) (Minuteman III

Single source

790 kN

) Second stage : Aerojet-General SR-19-AJ-1 (

Single source

267.7 kN

) Third stage : Aerojet / Thiokol SR73-AJ/TC-1 (

Single source

791.783448 kN

Three-stage solid-fuel rocket engines First stage : Thiokol TU-122 (M-55) (

Single source

Three-stage solid-fuel rocket engines First stage : Thiokol TU-122 (M-55) (178,000 lbf, 790 kN) Second stage : Aerojet-General SR-19-AJ-1 (60,181 lbf, 267.70 kN) Third stage : Aerojet / Thiokol SR73-AJ/TC-1 (34,170 lbf, 152.0 kN) First stage 202,600 lb (91,900 kg) (Minuteman III)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

LGM-30 Minuteman and Surya missile configuration
Specification	LGM-30 Minuteman	Surya missile
Type	Intercontinental ballistic missile^[source]	Intercontinental ballistic missile^[source]
Place of origin	United States^[source]	India^[source]
In service	Minuteman I: 1962–1969 Minuteman II: 1965–1994 Minuteman III: 1970–present^[source]	—
Used by	United States Air Force^[source]	Indian Armed Forces^[source]
Manufacturer	Boeing^[source]	Bharat Dynamics Limited^[source]
Unit cost	US$ 7,000,000 (equivalent to $34,600,000 in 2025)^[source]	—
No. built	550^[source]	—
Warhead	Minuteman I: W59 (retired) Minuteman I and II: W56 (retired) Minuteman III: 2–3 × W62 (retired), 2–3 × W78 (retired), 1 × W78 (active), or 1 × W87 (active)^[source]	3-15 MIRV warheads with yield 750kt or 5 Mt single warhead^[source]
Detonation mechanism	Air-burst or contact (surface)^[source]	—
Propellant	Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant^[source]	Solid and liquid fuel^[source]
Flight ceiling	1,120 km (3,670,000 ft; 700 mi)^[source]	—
Guidance system	Inertial NS-50^[source] Inertial NS-50^[source]	—
Accuracy	Minuteman I: 1.1 nmi (2.0 km) CEP initially, then 0.6 nmi (1.1 km) CEP Minuteman II: 0.26 nmi (0.48 km) CEP Minuteman III: 200 m (660 ft) CEP^[source]	—
Launch platform	Missile silo^[source] Missile silo^[source]	TEL , Missile launch facility^[source]
Designer	—	Defence Research and Development Organisation^[source]
Blast yield	—	750KT to 5MT^[source]
Engine	—	Two-stage solid rocket + third stage solid/ liquid rocket^[source]

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LGM-30 Minuteman

Surya missile

Type

Intercontinental ballistic missile^[source]

Place of origin

United States^[source]

India^[source]

In service

Minuteman I: 1962–1969 Minuteman II: 1965–1994 Minuteman III: 1970–present^[source]

—

Used by

United States Air Force^[source]

Indian Armed Forces^[source]

Manufacturer

Boeing^[source]

Bharat Dynamics Limited^[source]

Unit cost

US$ 7,000,000 (equivalent to $34,600,000 in 2025)^[source]

—

No. built

550^[source]

—

Warhead

Minuteman I: W59 (retired) Minuteman I and II: W56 (retired) Minuteman III: 2–3 × W62 (retired), 2–3 × W78 (retired), 1 × W78 (active), or 1 × W87 (active)^[source]

3-15 MIRV warheads with yield 750kt or 5 Mt single warhead^[source]

Detonation mechanism

Air-burst or contact (surface)^[source]

—

Propellant

Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant^[source]

Solid and liquid fuel^[source]

Flight ceiling

1,120 km (3,670,000 ft; 700 mi)^[source]

—

Guidance system

Inertial NS-50^[source]

—

Accuracy

Minuteman I: 1.1 nmi (2.0 km) CEP initially, then 0.6 nmi (1.1 km) CEP Minuteman II: 0.26 nmi (0.48 km) CEP Minuteman III: 200 m (660 ft) CEP^[source]

—

Launch platform

Missile silo^[source]

TEL , Missile launch facility^[source]

Designer

—

Defence Research and Development Organisation^[source]

Blast yield

—

750KT to 5MT^[source]

Engine

—

Two-stage solid rocket + third stage solid/ liquid rocket^[source]